A bill to end federal marijuana prohibition has been filed in the House and Senate, a Hawaii decriminalization bill advances, a New Mexico bill would attempt to aid drug-using pregnant women--not punish them--and more.

Federal Marijuana Justice Act Refiled. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) has refiled the Marijuana Justice Act, which would end federal prohibition by removing pot from the list of controlled substances. Cosponsors include other Democratic presidential contenders, such as Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Kamala Harris, (D-CA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Bernie Sanders (I-VT), as well as Oregon Sen. Jeff Merkley, who is considering a bid. In the House, Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) filed identical legislation.

Florida Legalization Bills Filed. A pair of Democrats have filed a pair of linked marijuana legalization bills. Reps. Michael Grieco of Miami and Carlos Guillermo of Orlando filed HB 1117 and HB 1119. The former legalizes marijuana and sets up a system of regulated production and sales, while the latter provides for taxes and fees on the trade.

Hawaii Decriminalization Bill Advances. The House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday approved HB 1383, which would decriminalize both marijuana possession and distribution, making them punishable only by a fine. The bill also provides for the expungement of previous marijuana offenses. It now heads for a House floor vote.

Medical Marijuana

South Carolina Medical Marijuana Bill Stalled. The Compassionate Care Act, SB 366, is stalled in the Senate, Senate Medical Affairs Subcommittee Chairman Tom Davis (R-Beaufort) said after a hearing Wednesday. He said that after hearing from stakeholders, lawmakers want to amend the bill and hold it in committee until they have several more hearings.

Pregnancy

New Mexico Bill Would Aid Drug-Using Pregnant Women, Not Punish Them. Rep. Christine Trujillo (D-Albuquerque) has filed HB 230, which would shift the way the state reports child abuse when a woman tests positive for drugs during pregnancy. Instead of immediately notifying authorities that a woman is using drugs during pregnancy, state organizations would create a "Plan of Safe Care" that would provide guidelines for preventing future drug use in hope of delivering healthy babies. The bill has already passed the House Health and Human Services Committee but faced a tough House Judiciary Committee Wednesday.

International

Switzerland Could Let Up to 5,000 People Smoke Pot Legally for Studies. The Swiss government said Thursday it could let up to 5,000 people legal smoke marijuana in pilot studies aimed at shaping rules for recreational use of the drug. The cabinet has proposed limited pilot projects that could lead to a change in the country's ban on marijuana, which dates back to 1951. The plan will be open for public comment until midyear.

(This article was prepared by StoptheDrugWar.org's 501(c)(4) lobbying nonprofit, the Drug Reform Coordination Network, which also pays the cost of maintaining this website. DRCNet Foundation takes no positions on candidates for public office, in compliance with section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and does not pay for reporting that could be interpreted or misinterpreted as doing so.)

They are fully exposed as prohibitionists! The Republican party will always support marijuana prohibition, period, as you can plainly see. Given a chance to legalize it, they will not take it; instead, they stall it, block it, hinder it, delay it, or kill it.

The Republicans, particularly those in seats of power, doesn't give a flying fuck what the American People want, need, or what we think about it -- including idiot, pot-smoking, Trump supporters. They will trot out a Trump toadie, like Matt Gaetz or Cory Gardner, to do some pro-Nazi marketing amongst the marijuana community, but, like everything else "team Trump" says, it is all just fascist bullshit marketing and propaganda designed to fuck the listener into voting against their own interests.

If Trump and McConnell and Rand and Putin are all so supportive of marijuana legalization, as the Trumpanzees like to say, then where is the goddamn support? What are they waiting for, for all this time -- permission from Nancy Pelosi? A sign from God? Jesus in a potato chip?

No. Like everything else the stinking Republicans do, it's a fucking scam and a lie.

Marijuana legalization, or Republicans. Pick one. You can't have both!